The Devil's Playground

This is a documentary on the Amish's Rumspinga unfortunately it was NOT closed captioned or subtitled!!! But nonetheless my boyfriend was willing to terp for me and I already knew much about this tradition. Its a rite of passage that all Amish Teenagers go through from age 16 to 19. They can join the "English" world, drive cards, use technology, smoke, drink, the whole 9 yards. Had it been captioned, I wouldve enjoyed it a lot more because seeing Amish in any kind of media is very unusual as they do not like to have their photos taken or filmed. They do not mingle with the outside world "English" folks like me and you. During this Rumspinga they must decide whether to stay in their community and be baptized (thats how the Amish Branch was founded, they thought baptizing babies was wrong and they were highly persecuted in the 1600s). Anyways if they stay with their community, they are baptized and welcomed with open arms. However if the outside world proves to be a too great of a temptation, they are shunned from their family and community. Its as if they were dead, they cannot keep any contact with their families and most of them never finished anything beyond 8th grade. I can imagine it must be very traumatic experience to be all alone and having grown up on farms and not with the modern world. Once in my early 20s or late teens, two Amish boys came up to me and my hearing friend Paula and asked if we wanted to go on a buggy ride. I declined because whether or not they are Amish, they were guys and guys all have the same thing on their mind. Be it a buggy ride or a drive in the car ;- D its all the same. Besides the "Dutch" boy haircuts didnt impress me much.

This week has been a long week. On Tuesday I went to Radio City Music Hall to catch their annual show for a terp gig I have on the 30th. It was my first time there and the interior was so regal and grand. I can imagine back in the day people dressing to the nines and going to the show. It was neat to see the Rockettes for the first time. I enjoyed most of the show except the last 30 mins or so of it. Because the 1st 60 mins its all Christmas songs, about Santa, Frosty the Snowman, Reindeers, Nutcracker etc etc. Very light and visually pleasing to watch. Then it got very somber and the Nativity scene kicked in high gear. The whole re-enactment of the birth of Jesus and so on. I was NOT expecting that part of it and was very surprised. Then again this show has been around forever and I guess they want to keep it the same???

Work has been dragging along, I am so ready for some R & R. Tmw I will be at the Red Cross all day training for the basics of 1st Aid/CPR/AED. Ill be certified to save lives...scary I know.

Finally Saturday will be ME day. I want to do some holiday shopping for the folks back in PA. Clyde and I are driving down on Xmas night, on Monday. I will have to return the 29th that night because the DB terp gig on the 30th is at 2pm. I return to work on the 4th of Jan. Not a long break but I dont mind. You know what they say (in the spirit of the Amish) "Idle Hands is the Devil's Play!"